


If You’d Allow

by starsinjars



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Banter, M/M, Permission, Sleepovers, courting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-22
Updated: 2014-01-22
Packaged: 2018-01-09 16:30:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1148218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starsinjars/pseuds/starsinjars
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gwaine makes a quick stop in Camelot and Arthur is jealous of how much time Merlin is spending with him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	If You’d Allow

**Author's Note:**

> Co-written with a friend of mine.

_Thud_. 

The noise outside Merlin's window made him start awake. 

"Merlin," a familiar voice called in an undertone.  "Hey, Merlin.  It's me.  Open up."

With a sigh of relief, Merlin got up and went to open the shutter.

"Hello, Gwaine."

A wolfish grin beamed at him from the darkness.  "Hello.  Always nice to see you."

"I'm sure," Merlin said, eyebrow raised.  "What are you doing here at this time of night?"

"Oh, well, I was just passin' through Camelot, and I thought, 'You know, I'd better say hello to ol' Merlin while I'm here,' and then I tripped over a barrel and made a cat angry and it drew the attention of one of the guards on patrol so I ran here and was hoping you'd let me in to hide."

Merlin couldn't help but laugh at him.  "You know how to make an entrance, that's for sure.  Come on."  He moved back so Gwaine could clamber inside, and then closed the shutters behind him.  He turned and nearly walked right into Gwaine.

"Oh! sorry.  Hi."

"Hey."

"So.  Um."

Gwaine laughed at him.  "I'm just teasing you, Merlin.  Take it easy."

"Right," Merlin laughed, too, though Gwaine was still quite close to him in a weird sort of way.  "Well, er.  I'll just go back to sleep then."

Gwaine nodded, still smiling.  "Mind if I bunk in with you?" He asked after Merlin was lying down again.

"Sure," Merlin said, shuffling over to make room.  Gwaine got in beside him, atop the bedclothes since he was still dressed.  "Good night."

"Sweet dreams, lad."  He lay close, his forehead against Merlin's, and folded his hands on his abdomen.  He was soon dozing, but Merlin found that he couldn't get back to sleep.

His eyes wouldn't even stay closed to let him rest.  Instead he found himself staring into the darkness of his ceiling, at the bit of moonlight filtering in through the window, at the lines of Gwaine's handsome face that weren't hidden by shadow. 

Restless, he tried counting imagined dragons flying over the city.  They morphed into Arthur throwing empty tankards at passers-by (though most of them seemed to clobber Merlin in the head).  Then Arthur turned into a herd of sheep working cloth and singing with frighteningly bleaty voices, and Merlin must've fallen asleep because the next thing he knew, it was terribly bright and his eyes were burning.

"Oh, sorry, Merlin," Gwaine said from the window.  "I didn't mean to wake you.  I was just making sure the coast was clear before I popped out."

"Serves you right," Merlin grumbled.  "You were gonna run off without saying anything?"

Gwaine smiled guiltily and scuffed one of his boots against the floor. 

"You're right, I deserve no pity.  I thought I had better get away before all the guards are up, though.  Thanks for letting me stay."

Merlin shrugged.  "Not at all.  It's great to have you.  You... make things interesting."

"Even when I'm asleep?" Gwaine teased.

"Yeah, even then.  I swear I never had weirder dreams than I did last night.  Singing sheep."

A bright smile broke onto Gwaine's face.  " _Singing_ sheep?  What on earth did you eat last night to make you dream of such a thing?"

"I'm telling you, it was your fault."

"Did they sing a ballad about the green hills?" Gwaine laughed, clutching his side.

"No," Merlin pulled on his tunic. "They sang a waulking song!"

Gwaine howled in mirth, tears gathering in his eyes.  "You made that up!  You'd better tell me you made that up.  If I imagine sheep waulking cloth, I think I'll piss myself!"

"Chamber pot's over there," Merlin answered cheekily.  "Better hurry, or you'll have to clean the mess yourself!"

Their gaiety must have been louder than they realised, since a confused-looking Gaius appeared in the doorway.

"What on earth is all this?"  He looked from Merlin to Gwaine and back again.

Gwaine burst into another peal of laughter.

"Sorry, Gaius," Merlin said, fighting his own giggles.  "It's Gwaine's fault."

"I wasn't the one dreamin' about waulking, singing sheep, Merlin," Gwaine accused.

"Waulking, singing sheep?"  Gaius raised an eyebrow. 

Gwaine started singing obnoxiously, pantomiming the waulking process.  Merlin couldn't resist joining in.

"As glad as I am that you are such good friends," Gaius said, "I must admit that I would prefer you save the rioting for later in the day."  He raised his eyebrow in the way that meant that Merlin was almost in trouble.

"Right you are, Gaius.  Come, Merlin, you can help me escape the city."

"All right, all right."  Merlin knew that Gwaine had to leave, but he still was a tiny bit disappointed.  Gwaine was such _fun_ , it was a shame that he couldn't stay.  "Oh, I've got to wake Arthur though.  I'm running late now."

“Well then, let’s see to him together.  It’d be nice to say hello before I go.”

o-o-o-o-o-o

Arthur was already sitting at his desk when Merlin and Gwaine entered his room.

"Hello, Merlin," Arthur said, hardly looking up.  "Hello, Gwaine.  _Gwaine_?" He did a double take.  "What are you doing here?"

"Oh," Gwaine shrugged, "I was just passin' through and I thought I'd drop by to say hello."

"Why would you come through Camelot in the daytime?  Do you _want_ to be executed?" Arthur stared up at him disbelievingly.

"I didn't come through in the daytime, I came through at night.  Then Merlin was kind enough to let his bed till morning.  And since I'm here, I figured I may as well say hello to you, too.  So, hello."

"Hello," Arthur said slowly, a shade of suspicion creeping into his voice.  "What do you _mean_ , Merlin let his bed?"

"He...shared it with me?"

"You shared your bed with him?" Arthur demanded of Merlin.

"Ye-es," Merlin drew out the word.  "Why?  What does it matter?"

"I didn't say it mattered.  Why did you do it?"

"Because he asked?" Merlin rolled his eyes and started tidying up.  "It was late and he had been noticed by the night guard, so he might as well have just stayed."

"He could've slept on the floor," Arthur grumbled.  If Merlin hadn't known any better, he might think that the prince was pouting.

"Yeah.  But I don't mind sharing.  I mean, what are friends for, right?"

"I suppose."

Gwaine shrugged, confusion evident in his warm brown eyes.  "I think so.  I'd share with you if it were me.  Is it against the law to top-and-tail it with your friends in Camelot?"

" _Did_ you top-and-tail it?" Arthur said to him sharply, with a queer look on his face.

"Are you really arguing about this?" Merlin laughed at them both.  "You're ridiculous."

"I agree," Gwaine said.  "There is nothing to argue about, whether we were top-and-tail or side-by-side."

"Right, I'm leaving!"  Merlin said over Arthur's ensuing shout of "Side-by- _side_?" and hurried away with Arthur's laundry.  He did not want to hear any more of that quarrel.

When he returned the air still felt quite tense, and he had the feeling that they'd been talking about him.  Merlin pretended not to notice, and set down Arthur's breakfast with a cheerful, "Here you are, Sire."

"Thank you, _Mer_ lin," Arthur said, his blue eyes trying to burn through Gwaine's face. 

"Ok," Merlin said to no one in particular.  Then he gave the apple he'd brought from the kitchen to Gwaine.  "Here."

" _Thank_ you, Merlin," Gwaine said with a solar-powered smile.  "You're a pet."

"...Right.  So, um.  I'll just.  Go over there, then."

This was just getting too weird.  Next thing, Arthur and Gwaine would be jousting against each other.  Maybe they were both in love with Gwen, though that wouldn't really explain why they cared who slept in _Merlin's_ bed.

Well, whatever.  Some people were just very possessive.  Merlin, for his part, much preferred sharing.

He busied himself with polishing Arthur's armour, humming to himself a little as he worked.

"Say, Merlin," Gwaine said conversationally, "That's a fine scarf you've got there."

"Hm?" 

"Your neck-scarf.  It's, um," he smiled a bit awkwardly, "It looks fine on you."

"Oh, er.  Thank you.  I like your..." Merlin waved his hand in the general area of Gwaine's necklace.

"Do you, really?" Gwaine seemed pleased.  "The charm was my mother's, and the ring, my father's."

"Oh," Merlin said again, more gently this time.  "That's-- that's lovely, to have something to remember them by."

"Yeah." A shade of sadness danced across his face as he was lost in tender remembrance.  But it soon passed; his sunny demeanour would not be cloudy for long.  "You know?  I think my mother would've liked you."

Merlin smiled in genuine appreciation.  "You think so?  I'm pretty sure my mother would like _you_.  Next time I visit her, you can come too, if you want."

Gwaine clasped Merlin's shoulder affectionately.  "I'd like that."

With a smile, Merlin briefly pressed his hand against Gwaine's, and then went back to shining the armour.

"Gwaine, don't you have some taverns to destroy or something?" Arthur asked peevishly. 

"Not until next week, sire.  Don't you have some maids to take for a tumble?"

Arthur looked at him sharply.  "Don't think I won't put you in the stocks, too.  I don't consort with my staff."

"Oh, only with the knights then?"

"Shut up, Gwaine."  He poured himself another goblet of water.

"Can't say I'd blame you, though," Gwaine continued.  "That Sir Leon sucks cock like he was born to do it."

Arthur spat an impressive arc across his desk.  " _What_?!" He spluttered, half choking.

"Didn't you know?  I thought all you knights took tumbles with each other?"

"No, we don't!  That's completely--what on _earth_ is wrong with you?  How many years in prison will it take to fix it?"

"Oh, my mistake then.  How about you, Merlin?  Have you got any knightly conquests?"

" _No_ ," Merlin nearly laughed at the idea.  "No, no, no.  Not me.  I do _not_ tumble."

"What, never?" Gwaine seemed intent on the answer. 

" _Never_.  No.  Not a chance."

"Is there a reason?"

"Yes.  The reason is that I don't want to."

"Never?"

"Never."  Merlin pushed the armour aside, hoping to signal the end of that discourse.  Gwaine said nothing, seemingly lost in thought.  Arthur looked a little surprised, too, but he was too proud and also too chivalrous to pry when Merlin seemed so definitive on his answer.  With a flash of a sympathetic smile, he motioned for Merlin to clean up the accidental spit-take.

At length, Gwaine asked,  "What about courting?"

"What?"  Merlin looked up from the puddle he was mopping with a rag. 

"You know.  What if someone came a-courting for you?"

"What does courting entail, exactly?" Merlin asked a little suspiciously.

"Oh, you know.  Talking, walking, serenading.  The usual.  I could bring flowers, too, if you like."  He winked roguishly.

"No tumbling?"

"Not even once."

"And this is you, telling me that you want to court... _me_?"

Gwaine stood and bowed with a flourish.

"But I'm...I'm _me_ and you're... _you_.  Why would you want that?"  He was genuinely confused.  He didn't expect anyone to--to feel _that_ way about him.

"There's your answer," Gwaine laughed.  "Because you're you and I'm me.  We go pretty well together, I think."

"Yes, a barbaric delinquent and an idiot servant.  What a fine pair."  Arthur seemed terribly stroppy.

"He's not an idiot," Gwaine frowned.  "He's a lot cleverer than you give him credit for.  And I've never known such kindness from anyone.  He's loyal to a fault, and has a good heart, I'm convinced of it.

"Oh."  Merlin looked at the floor to hide his blush.  He felt foolish, really, but it wasn't often that he got such a compliment.

"So you see, my heart's quite run away from me, Merlin.  Will you let me court you?"

"Er.  All right."  He smiled, but his shoulders hunched themselves up near his ears of their own accord.

"Look, you've frightened him.  Anyway, I never said you could court my servant."

"I did not.  Why do _you_ get to decide that, your Royal Interference?"

"Because, as I said, he's _my_ servant."  Arthur shuffled some papers around, looking rather pleased with himself.

"Yeah?  So what are you gonna do, court him yourself?"  Gwaine looked at him incredulously.

"Perhaps I will," Arthur retorted, crossing his arms.

"I'm still here, you know.  You don't have to talk about me like I'm the prize in a tournament."

"Shut up, Merlin.  Anyway, he doesn't even want you to court him."

"Oh aye?  And does he want _you_ to court him?"

"I'll ask," Arthur sniffed.  "Merlin, will you allow me to court you."

Merlin raised an eyebrow.  "That didn't actually sound like a question."

Rolling his eyes, he tried again; but he had actually listened to Merlin, and was much more gentle and sincere this time.  "Will you let me court you, Merlin?"

"Um.  I.  I suppose?  I have a feeling that this isn't about me.  And anyway aren't you both in love with Gwen?"  He frowned at the idea of their plaguing Gwen, who was obviously too good for them both, if this is how they would treat a lover.

"Arthur is," Gwaine said, kneeling by Merlin.  "And she with him.  My eyes may roam, but my heart is only yours."

"Shut up, Gwaine," Merlin laughed.  "That doesn't work on me."

"It was worth a try," he defended, shrugging. 

"What do you mean, Gwen's in love with me?"

"She is.  Didn't you know?"  Gwaine looked genuinely surprised.  "Should I not have said?"

"I thought it was obvious," Merlin shrugged, too.

"Well.  You're both.  You're both very annoying and I'd have you both in the stocks if I weren't so busy."

"Who are you in love with, Arthur?"  Merlin asked in that gentle-honest Merlin way of his.

"I...I don't know," the prince admitted with a sigh.  "What about you?"

"I'm not in love with anyone at present.  The girl I was in love with died horribly about a year ago so I haven't exactly been thinking about romance, to be honest.  Gwaine?"

"I already said, but I'll gladly repeat it.  I'm in love with you, Merlin."  His smile was warm and welcoming.

"And Gwen's in love with Arthur.  Well," Merlin stood up, dusting himself off.  "There's only one thing to do.  The four of us must go somewhere isolated and work this out."

"What?  Why is that the solution?  Can't we just talk about it here?"

"Yes, but my idea is more fun and melodramatic.  It would make a much better story, I think, than just sitting on the floor of an empty room in the castle."

Arthur and Gwaine had to admit that this was true.

"Well, then I suppose we just need to get Gwen's agreement, and then we can go."

“Fine.  Merlin, you go fetch Gwen; she’ll come if you ask her.  Gwaine and I will sneak out and wait in forest east of the front gates.  Technically it’s outside the city, so possibly Gwaine won’t get arrested again.”

“All right,” Merlin said, with a sort of pitying smile.  “Try not to kill each other while I’m gone.  See you in a bit.”

The three parted to put their plan into motion.  (How _well_ that plan would work was anyone’s guess.)


End file.
